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David O'Hara

Principal Associate

David is a Principal Associate on the Education Sector team providing know-how on sector development to clients and members of the team.

Since 2016, he has worked as a Professional Support Lawyer for the firm's Education sector group. In this role, David is responsible for external and internal know-how on developments affecting the education sector. He regularly produces briefings providing sector-specific updates and guidance to the firm's education clients and members of the firm's Education sector team. His role demands constant tracking and awareness of sector issues and case law relevant to higher education institutions and colleges and academies. He is closely involved in supporting business development activities to win new work and retain key clients.

Before moving to his current role, he worked as a member of the firm's Education Employment team advising education institutions on a whole range of employment law issues involving strategic and day-to-day people management issues, including advice on discrimination, redundancies/restructurings, changing terms and conditions of employment, disciplinary/grievance issues, immigration and managing ill health and capability matters.

In 2002, David was a founding member of the firm's Employment Law Training Team. He coordinates the firm's national education training program using those skills and regularly delivers a whole range of employment law training courses to education institutions. David also speaks at sector-specific conferences and events, including the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, The Association of Colleges, and the Sixth Form Colleges Association.

Before moving into his current role, David had 30 years of employment tribunal experience, advising on complex employment tribunal claims, providing tactical advice, and conducting employment tribunal advocacy, specializing in multi-day discrimination claims. Given his advocacy experience, David continues to provide support and supervision to members of the team dealing with contentious work.

  • BA (Hons) in Law at Durham University 1983-1986
  • Law Society Finals course 1986-1987
  • Qualified as a Solicitor in 1989
David O'Hara

Principal Associate

David O'Hara

Principal Associate

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